Val Verde County, Texas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 48465 · population 47,488 · 3,145 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 886 records for Val Verde County, Texas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 535 days; the most frequent are hail reports (324 records). The deadliest single record is the August 23, 1998 flash flood: 9 deaths, 150 injuries and $72.6 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1993, 15 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on September 1, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 886on 535 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 11196 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $433Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 45strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Val Verde County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 324 since 1956. 64% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in April and May. The rank column places the county among Texas's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 324 | 182 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 6 | $28M | 213 of 254 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 197 | 140 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 2 | $2.4M | 211 of 254 |
| Floods | 150 | 111 | 1996-2025 | 9 | 157 | $75M | 138 of 254 |
| Drought | 114 | 114 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $290M | 200 of 254 |
| Tornadoes | 45 | 26 | 1964-2025 | 0 | 31 | $25M | 228 of 254 |
| Winter storms | 21 | 21 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 230 of 254 |
| Wildfires | 14 | 13 | 2014-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 113 of 254 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 6 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $279K | 169 of 254 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 2021-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 210 of 254 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 2010-2023 | 2 | 0 | – | 197 of 254 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2000-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 174 of 254 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | $160K | 133 of 254 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Val Verde County had?
NOAA records 45 tornadoes in Val Verde County from 1964 to 2025, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 31 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 45 tornadoes whose track touched Val Verde County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 45, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Texas.
Every tornado record filed for Val Verde County (45)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-19 | Amistad Res East, Val Verde County | EFU 0.01 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-02 | Comstock, Val Verde County | EFU 0.4 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-02 | Pandale Mills Airport, Val Verde County | EF0 0.35 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $59K |
| 2017-05-10 | Laughlin Afb De, Val Verde County | EFU 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-04-23 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | EF0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $142K |
| 2007-04-23 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | EF0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-27 | Laughlin Afb, Val Verde County | F0 0.8 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-27 | Laughlin Afb, Val Verde County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-27 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-27 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | F1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $78K |
| 2002-04-07 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-04-07 | Amistad Res East, Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-03-19 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-03-19 | Amistad Res East, Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-03-19 | Comstock, Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-03-22 | Amistad Res West, Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-03-22 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $223K |
| 1999-03-27 | Juno, Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-06-08 | Langtry, Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-09-14 | Loma Alta, Val Verde County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-23 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-10 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1995-05-10 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | F2 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 22 | $494K |
| 1994-06-23 | Of Del Rio, Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1993-10-19 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | F1 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 4 | $1.1M |
| 1993-10-19 | Del Rio, Val Verde County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $112K |
| 1991-07-21 | Val Verde County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1989-05-16 | Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-05-16 | Val Verde County | F1 8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1988-09-17 | Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1988-09-17 | Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-09-17 | Val Verde County | F2 11 mi x 63 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 1988-09-17 | Val Verde County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-05-19 | Val Verde County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-05-12 | Val Verde County | F1 1.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-05-12 | Val Verde County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-05-12 | Val Verde County | F2 5 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-05-12 | Val Verde County | F2 19 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 1982-05-11 | Val Verde County | F1 3 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-05-05 | Val Verde County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-05-15 | Val Verde County | F1 2.3 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1964-05-29 | Val Verde County | F0 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1964-05-29 | Val Verde County | F0 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1964-05-29 | Val Verde County | F0 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1964-04-16 | Val Verde County | F2 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Val Verde County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 5, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-05 | Thunderstorm WindDel Rio, Val Verde County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-05-19 | HailLaughlin Afb De, Val Verde County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-19 | HailLaughlin Afb De, Val Verde County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-29 | HailDel Rio, Val Verde County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-29 | HailDel Rio International Ar, Val Verde County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-29 | HailAmistad Res East, Val Verde County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindAmistad Res West, Val Verde County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | HailAmistad Res West, Val Verde County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | HailComstock, Val Verde County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtVal Verde County · forecast zone Val Verde | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-24 | DroughtVal Verde County · forecast zone Val Verde | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-10 | HailLaughlin Afb De, Val Verde County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-08-23 | Flash FloodCountywide, Val Verde County By nightfall on the 23rd, the central low pressure associated with the remainder of Charley had indeed stalled near Del Rio. A second seige of devastating rain fell between 9 pm and 2 am, producing over 10 inches by midnight. The intense rain was again in a "feeder band", oriented north to south over Del Rio and ... | 9 | 150 | $73M | |
| 2010-07-15 | HeatVal Verde County · forecast zone Val Verde A man was found dead in his trailer home in Del Rio. The high temperature was 93 degrees and the heat index reached around 100. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-05-05 | HeatVal Verde County · forecast zone Val Verde In Del Rio, a boy was found in a vehicle and taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7:35PM CST. The high temperature in Del Rio on this day was 98 degrees. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1995-05-10 | TornadoDel Rio, Val Verde County The tornado was first spotted by public and later confirmed by the sheriff and a spotter. It caused only minor damage. It was the larger of the two tornadoes that formed that evening. Residents near the tornado reported hail the size of a quarter before the tornado arrived, then hearing a "freight train" type of sound ... | F2 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 22 | $494K |
| 1998-08-23 | Flash FloodNorth Portion, Val Verde County Moderate to heavy rainfall continued through much of the morning on Sunday the 23rd, producing widespread flash flooding over secondary roads and over low water crossings. Flooding also developed over much of Kerr County as the heavy rain forced the Guadalupe River out of banks from Hunt eastward to near ... | 0 | 5 | $54K | |
| 1993-10-19 | TornadoDel Rio, Val Verde County Two tornados were reported in the south part of the County, and large hail reports were made from across the County. The first tornado moved through the southeast part of Del Rio, causing widespread minor damage to the area. The second tornado moved through the Val Verde Estates area of Del Rio. Several mobile homes ... | F1 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 4 | $1.1M |
| 2002-04-07 | HailDel Rio, Val Verde County Large hail, propelled by winds estimated at 50 to 60 mph, destroyed street signs, dented automobiles, and knocked out windows of vehicles, homes and businesses across Del Rio. Hundreds of automobiles lost windshields and were severely dented. Three people were treated for minor injuries after being struck by the large ... | 4.50 in hail | 0 | 3 | $984K |
| 1987-03-16 | HailVal Verde County | 4.50 in hail | 0 | 3 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-08-23 | Flash FloodCountywide, Val Verde County | 9 | 150 | $73M | |
| 1996-09-01 | DroughtVal Verde County · forecast zone Val Verde | 0 | 0 | $60M | |
| 1996-10-01 | DroughtVal Verde County · forecast zone Val Verde | 0 | 0 | $56M | |
| 1996-12-01 | DroughtVal Verde County · forecast zone Val Verde | 0 | 0 | $43M | |
| 1997-01-01 | DroughtVal Verde County · forecast zone Val Verde | 0 | 0 | $42M | |
| 1997-02-01 | DroughtVal Verde County · forecast zone Val Verde | 0 | 0 | $33M | |
| 1997-03-01 | DroughtVal Verde County · forecast zone Val Verde | 0 | 0 | $26M | |
| 1997-04-01 | DroughtVal Verde County · forecast zone Val Verde | 0 | 0 | $20M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 12, 1982 (tornado, Val Verde County); September 17, 1988 (tornado, Val Verde County); May 16, 1989 (tornado, Val Verde County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Val Verde County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 3 | 4 | 13 | 56 | 65 | 72 | 58 | 53 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 7 | 14 | 46 | 40 | 16 | 30 | 43 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 22 | 89 | 31 | 8 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 15 | 8 | 56 z | 35 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 1 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
Drought in the 2010s: 56 records against 8 in the decade before, 56 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Val Verde County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
64% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 22 · Feb 36 · Mar 100 · Apr 162 · May 247 · Jun 98 · Jul 41 · Aug 50 · Sep 44 · Oct 52 · Nov 21 · Dec 13 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Val Verde County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Val Verde County: 9 major disasters, 8 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (4) and hurricane (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4935 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2026-07-18 | EM-3649 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2021-02-19 | DR-4586 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021-02-14 | EM-3554 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4485 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3458 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-02-25 | DR-4416 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2011-07-01 | DR-1999 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2010-08-03 | DR-1931 | Hurricane | Hurricane Alex |
| 2008-03-14 | EM-3284 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2006-01-11 | DR-1624 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
| 2005-09-24 | DR-1606 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
| 2005-09-21 | EM-3261 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
| 2005-09-02 | EM-3216 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1999-09-01 | EM-3142 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards |
| 1998-08-26 | DR-1239 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley |
| 1993-09-10 | EM-3113 | Drought | Extreme Fire Hazard |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Val Verde County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 150 flood or flash flood records for Val Verde County from 1996 to 2025, on 111 days, with 9 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Val Verde County ranks 1045th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Charley | 1998-08-23 | 2 | 9 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.6 million on 163 claims filed in Val Verde County; the most in one year was 72 in 1998. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1980: 5 · 1981: 3 · 1983: 2 · 1984: 1 · 1998: 72 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 2 · 2004: 2 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 9 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 29 · 2011: 4 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 7 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2026: 7; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Val Verde County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Val Verde County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $23.6 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $20M | 3.9 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $169K | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $650K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $335K | 41 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $459K | once in about 304 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $587K | 5.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $225K | 147 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $597K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Val Verde County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in TexasEvery Texas tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in TexasThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Texas recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Val Verde CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Val Verde County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis